The government today said only those coal mines which have been explored would be put up for auction.Warsaw, Nov 18: Poland said on Wednesday it remains attached to coal as its prime energy source, in stark contrast to its EU partners who want to phase out the fossil fuel.

"Our energy security requires us to keep Polish coal as an energy source, and that includes brown coal," new Prime Minister Beata Szydlo told parliament.

Coal is widely regarded as the power source responsible for most carbon emissions, and several EU countries have promised to cut its use.

Britain on Wednesday said it will shut polluting coal-fired power plants by 2025.

Last month, Poland's new president, Andrzej Duda, refused to endorse an amendment to the UN carbon-cutting pact that would require the coal-dependent EU country to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

A Brussels-based environmental policy think tank said the decision "stalls the ratification process" on measures to reduce emissions ahead of a landmark UN climate summit in Paris.